Will Hawkes: Wild Walks
- 9th Apr 2026: 11am - 12.30pm
- 23rd May 2026: 11am - 12.30pm
- £15
Stop. Slow down. Look around you. You want a Hollywood action film? Let me show you how a spiny tailed digger wasp hunts. You want a soppy romcom? Let me find you a hairy-footed flower bee. You want a terrifying horror movie? Let me introduce you to the Entomophaga fungi…
The world is so thrilling and endlessly amazing. Join wildlife expert Dr Will Hawkes on a wild walk around Heligan as he opens your eyes to the wonder all around.
Course Detail
Meet at Reception before heading out into the wilder corners of Heligan with Dr Will Hawkes as your guide. This immersive workshop invites you to step off the main paths and into the hidden world of the garden’s lesser-seen inhabitants.
Bring your listening ears, your curiosity and a willingness to get stuck in. Along the way, Will will share the rich and often surprising stories woven through Heligan’s wild spaces. There will be ample opportunities to look closely, ask questions and to meet and handle the stars of the wild stories you will hear.
This is a walk of discovery, designed to shift perspective and deepen understanding. You may never look at a hedgerow in the same way again…
Essential Information
There are no material prerequisites for this course, but we recommends bringing a notebook and a camera (mobile phone is great) if you want to practice photography techniques.
Butterfly nets, hand lenses and insect pots will be provided
You will be outdoors - sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing are recommended.
About Will Hawkes
Will Hawkes is an insect research scientist, photographer and storyteller. He grew up in the wilds of Northeast Wales surrounded by the natural world and moved down to Cornwall ten years ago to begin his academic journey. Through his research into migratory insects, he has worked all over the world learning their stories and behaviours.
Will adores insects, they have given him so much in this life and his main aim is to give something back to them. Inspiring people to share his passion for these tiny lives is the most important thing for him as it leads to more understanding and then on to the hopeful protection of these remarkable little animals.
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Solitary Bee ID for Beginners
- 9th May 2026
- 10am - 4pm
Discover the fascinating lives of these essential pollinators and leave with a deeper understanding, and a renewed appreciation, of these small but vital creatures.
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Natural History Recording and the Art of Noticing
- 24th May 2026
- 10am - 4pm
Reconnect with the natural world in this engaging workshop with wildlife expert Dr Will Hawkes.
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Magical moths and nighttime bugs
- 12th Jun 2026
- 8.30pm - 10.30pm
Join Dr Will Hawkes to discover the remarkable diversity of moth species at Heligan and set up moth traps.
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